The modern three strikes movement began in Washington state in 1993, but quickly spread the next year to California and other states. Here, the effort was spearheaded by Mike Reynolds, whose 18-year-old daughter, Kimber, was murdered in Fresno in 1992. What followed has been a tumultuous fight in the Legislature, the courts and at the ballot box.

Veterans waiting for decisions on their disability claims wait longer than the VA has acknowledged, especially if they come from larger urban areas. Solutions tried in four locations have not helped so far, as the backlog continues to grow.

Until recently, California state prisons were so packed that inmates were living literally on top of each other. In May 2011, the Supreme Court ordered California to drastically reduce its inmate population.

Elite donors gave five times as much to winning candidates as they did to losers. And about 55 percent of every dollar they contributed aided a winning initiative campaign.